Antioxidative and Antimutagenic Characteristics of Melanoidin Related Products

Melanoidin의 항산화성 및 항돌연변이원성

Melanoidins, as brown colored polymers, are formed through the diversified reaction systems of Maillard type and other reactions. Melanoidins are important components in relation to food quality and also are known to have antioxidative, mutagenic and antimutagenic activities. Since these aspects have been extensively reviwed elsewhere, only the recent studies regarding to their antioxidative and antimutagenic activities are discussed in this review. Even though their mechanisms are not clearly identified, melanoidins or specific fractions isolated from their mixtures have shown varied antioxidative activities depending on the reaction systems and reaction conditions. Those activities presumely are derived from the complex functional properties of hydrogen / electron donors and metal chelating power, which are originated from their reductone structure and others. It is considered that pyrolysate and other mutagens are formed by the given conditions in some cases during browning reaction, whereas melanoidins and their fractions have antimutagenic effects on chemical and other mutagens. There are positive correlationship among the color intensity, antioxidative activity and antimutagenicity of melanoidins or their fractions. These suggest that the antimutagenicity of melanoidins could be attributed to their antioxidative properties, however, it might also be due to other factors, because the relevant responses for antimutagenicity are very complicate and not clear. Accordingly, further studies are required to determine the actual acitivities and mechanisms involved in antioxidation and (anti)mutagenicity of melanoidins by reaction systems / conditions and by the isolated fractions. And also, additional studies are needed to evaluate the applications of melanoidins and their relevant effects to food and human health.